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Black 13th Strike force
The Black 13th is an elite strike force of the Militant Order of the Arcane Tempest, a weapon of war sharpened to a razor’s edge by relentless service to the crown. The exact number of men and women serving in this tight-knit organization has varied since its founding, but it has always consisted of a select few who demonstrate deadly skill with the magelock pistol. For most of its history, the Black 13th has been based at Northguard, from which its company undertook highly secret missions deep into Khador and occupied Llaelese territory. These sensitive assignments included lightning raids, daring rescues, and flawless assassinations. The members of the Black 13th have carried out missions that would break the nerve of lesser combatants, and they have done so knowing they can never receive more recognition than a handshake and the quiet thanks of their superiors.Forces of Warmachine: Cygnar Command MK3 After the fall of Merywyn in 605 AR, the Black 13th covered Cygnar’s withdrawal from Llael by harrying vast numbers of Khadoran forces and buying time for weary soldiers to regroup at the northern fortresses. Intense fighting near Northguard cut the unit’s complement to three, and they did not deign to add more companions to replace the fallen. Captain Dixon Lynch is the longest-standing veteran, the only member who remains of the original founders of the Black 13th. Lynch does not talk about the team’s history, whether from a desire to preserve its secrets or due to an abundance of painful memories, and he will not identify the ultimate source of its sometimes-enigmatic orders. Many at the Tempest Academy rightfully view Lynch as a legend. One of the eldest gun mages still serving in the field, years ago Lynch belonged to the Brothers of the Tempest, the secretive fraternity that predated the founding of the Militant Order and its formal adoption as a branch of the Cygnaran Army. Despite being a man of few words, his cold but steady leadership has earned him the unshakable loyalty of his team. Those who see Lynch as taciturn view Sergeant Samuel Watts as downright unfriendly. Infamous for his biting wit and loud mouth, the gaunt and scarred gun mage has few friends. Rumor has it Watts remains a sergeant despite over seven years with the unit after earning the ire of Lord General Olan Duggan, who allegedly declared, “That man will never be an officer so long as I am still breathing.” Those who know Watts’ reputation carefully avoid responding to his baiting. He is said to have a habit of taunting fools into reaching for a weapon as an excuse to demonstrate his own lightning-fast draw. The reputations of Lynch and Watts might lead people to think of Lieutenant Darsey Ryan as the friendly face of the team. A coolly polite and professional duelist of unsurpassed skill, Ryan joined the Black 13th just before the invasion of Llael and remains as tough an opponent as ever. She attracts challengers like a flame attracts moths and has left dozens of overconfident pistoleers dead in the dirt. Even Watts admits she once beat him at his own game. In battle, she wields a magelock in each hand with no apparent inhibition to her sorcerous power. When these three fight together, each effortlessly watches the blind spots of the others while combining their fire to tear apart any opposition. For the Black 13th there can never be capture or surrender, only victory or death. References Category:Cygnar Category:Unit Category:Warmachine